Wynn Design & Development, lead by Steve Wynn- former head of Mirage Resorts, plans to develop a 45-storey mega-resort on the site of the Desert Inn, including 70,000 sq.ft. of retail space, in Las Vegas, NV. Wynn was responsible for the construction of the Mirage and Bellagio resorts before selling those properties to the MGM Corporation. He purchased the Desert Inn site for $270 million last year but has been tight-lipped about plans for the site. According to Reuters News Service, the proposed resort will feature a 514-foot tall tower, 132,000 sq.ft. of convention space, two showrooms totaling 3,500 seats, two chapels, 120,000 sq.ft. of casino space, a three-acre swimming pool and a four-acre man-made lake. Some industry insiders are suggesting the mammoth pools might suggest a water-themed resort. The completed resort would be comparable in size to Mandalay Bay and Caesars Palace.

For more information contact Steve Wynn, Wynn Design & Development, 3145 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109; 702-733-4444.

The Port Authority of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority is developing the Banks project located between Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH. The mixed-use project will include street-level retail, housing and office space. A similar development, Newport on the Levee, is opening on the KY side of the river. Some analysts think the failure of Newport on the Levee to sign some big national retailers presents an opportunity for the Banks development.

For more information contact Tim Sharp, Port Authority of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, 1014 Vine Street, Suite 1440, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202; 513-621-3000, Fax 513-621-1080; Web site: www.cincinnatiport.org.

The Palladium Company and Cousins’ Properties have submitted plans to develop projects including 17 acres of public land in the North Tyron cultural district in Charlotte, NC. The plans were submitted to the city and county who are looking for a developer that will bolster uptown as opposed to the highest bidder. The Palladium Company plans a public area, served by a trolley line, surrounded by 350,000 sq.ft. of retail, as well as a hotel and some residential buildings. The potential tenant list includes FAO Schwartz and Tiffany & Co. The proposal includes approximately $690 million in development. Cousins Properties design is more residential, featuring an eight-acre park bordered on the south by the Children’s Learning Center and on the north by the proposed Mint Museum. The Cousins’ plan involves 17 acres owned by its partner company Levine Properties and would entail $600 million in development. The government-owned land is bordered by North Tyron, Brevard, Ninth and Eleventh Streets. The county has appraised the land at $20 million.